Air-drying apparatus



J. H. WOODARD.

AIR DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 050.20, 1919.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Wm mxaia M. M

of Washington,

STATES PA OFFICE" JOHN H. WOQIDARIID, F SPOKANE, WASHING-TON.

AIR-DRYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.-

Application filed December 20, 1919. Serial No. 346,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it hlOWIl that I JOHN H. WOODARD, a citizen of the United tates, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved air drying apparatus designed particularly for use in l'avatories, toilet rooms, barber shops and similar places, as a facile means for drying the face and hands after ablution, and adapted for the convenience of a number of persons at the same time, the apparatus including individual hot air nozzles with independent operating means for each nozzle. In the utilization of my invention I contemplate an equipment employing numerous hot air nozzles receiving heated currents of air from a common understood source or heater, and each nozzle is provided with actuating means for a motor by means of which air to be heated is impelled through the heater. Thus an automatically controlled apparatus is provided which is operable by the user or users, and is'rendered inoperative, automatically, when the user ceases or relinquishes control of the operating mechanism. To this, end the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged, according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it, will be that changes and alterationse may be made, in the apparatus within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention. v

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing my apparatus installed in connection with a wash room or. lavatory, disclosing the air heater and impeller, the electric motor and connections for operating. the motor to impel the air currents through the heater and to the nozzles, and

matically controlling the also the valve for control of the hot air currents to the nozzle,

In the preferred form of my invention I have illustrated a lavatory or wash room designated A and equipped with the usual wash stands, faucets, and other conveniences, and the wall A of the room divides the lavatory from the work room B in which is contained the equipment for the apparatus, only arow of drying devices appearing in the lavatory alined at a suitable height. to beconvenient for use along the wall A and each device equipped with a simple operating element that is automatically returnable to normal position after use.

Fresh air from a suitable source is received in the work room, near its ceiling in Fig. 1, and a fan blower 2 supported near the ceiling is provided to draw' air from the duct through the suction pipe 3 between the duct and blower, and air currents into the heater 4, which is a closed vcasing. of suitable construction and size and connected with the blower by the supply pipe 5, the direction of the air currents being indicated by arrows in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of heating the air in its passage through the casing I employ a steam pipe 6 receiving steam from a suitable supply, which may well be the exhaust from a impel the steam outlet pipe? carries off the used steam I from the heater, a thermostatic valve 8 being the steam inlet pipe for autosupply and presthe heater 4. The the heater easing provided in sure of steam passing to heat from the steam in is radiated from the to equally distribute the heat in all parts of the casing 4, and to insure an equable and uniform heat to the air currents they are re- 'tarded intheirpassage through the casing by a series of horizontal bafiie plates 10 arranged in staggered fashion to project from the opposite side walls of the casing, which cause the currents of air to pass through a tortuous way around and over the steam heating, coil 9. Thus when the air currents have passed thruogh the heater casing and reach the branch pipes 11 the currents have been heated to the desired, predetermined temperature and are ready for use for the purpose of drying the hands, face, hair, or for other uses as desired.

pipes or steam coil 9 40 j .19' on the pedal is utilized as the movable element of contact member of an electric As willibe-apparentthese branch pipes for the hot air pass through the wall A, and

. -onthe lavatory side of the wall they are each equipped with'a nozzle 12, preferably jointed'to the branch pipe by a swivel joint 13 in order that the nozzle may 'be moved as desired to direct the blast of hot air issuing therefrom. Each of the hot air pipes 11 is provided with a controlling device illustrated as a butterfly valve or pivoted disk 14: fitting closely and neatly within its inner bore, and each. valve is independently oper-' able by the user through the instrumentality of a simple device'inthe nature of a pedal '15 conveniently, located beneath the nozzle,

at the floor, for actuating by the foot of the user. j

'The pedals are arranged in a row, near I the floor line at regular and suitable intervals "for the convenience-of the patrons, and

pivotally supported in a slot or opening in ,.t-lewall" as at 16, and the pivoted link 17 time that the 'patron-has'his footpedal and holds it depressed.

connects the pedal in an operative manner to the valve 14 in the hot air discharge pipe. The apparatus is operated by depressing the pedal, and thereturn spring 18 attached at one end te-the pedal and at its other end anchored to a suitable stationary part or .member, returns the pedal to normal position after pressure is released from the pedal, and thus'closes the'valve in the discharge pipe. Itwill therefore be evident that the apparatus is economically operated without waste, and no currents pass through the discharge pipe'and nozzle except during the tn the The action of .the' depressed pedal also performs the function of startin the fan blower, and to this end anintegra'l, ever arm switch, the fixed contact member of I the 'inclosedin the sw'itch'boX 21 attached to the j motor 23, and this motor, is directly and operatively connected to the fan-blower 2,10-

cated, as before stated'near' the ceiling of the workroom 13. V

From the-abovedescription' taken con- 5 nection with my drawingsit is apparent that {have provided a.cempactly-arranged apparatus, selectively operatable, and eflicient l in performing its functions, by means of which the patron or patrons may with facility and convenience utilize the blast or currents of heated air from the several nozzles for the desired purposes. Such an apparatus is economical in first cost of production and inexpensive in maintenance, presents a neat and attractive appearance in that the working parts are invisible although compactly arranged, and affords sanitary and convenient means for completing the ablutions of the patrons. The apparatus is ca pable of installation for use byan attendant rather than by patrons, and may be'utilized by the barbers in a tonsorial parlor or by i attendants in a beauty parlor with slight and colorable changes in arrangement, and I therefore do not. desire to be limited tothe installation and exemplification of the invention as depicted in the drawings. i What'l claim is- 1. The combination in an apparatus as described with a heating appliance, a fan blower connected thereto and discharge pipes connected with the heating appliance, 8 a valve in eachdischarge pipe and a nozzle j to the pipe, an electric motor for actuating the blower, independent operating: means for each valve, an electric switch controlled by said operating means, and electrical con- '8 nections from -each switch to the motor, for. the purpose described. Y 2. The combination with a heating appliance, a fan blower and its electric motor and air discharge pipes leading from the heat- 9 ing. appliance, means for controlling the passage of heated air currents'through said discharge pipes, means for operating ,said controlling means, and electricalconnections controlled by said operating means for con- 9 trollin the electric motor;

.3. T e combination with the heating appliance, a fan blower connected theretoahd discharge pipes'from said appliance, a'valve in each pipe, and a swiveled' nozzle for each 1 pipe, an independent pedal mechanism for actuating each valve, an .e ctric switch adapted to be closed by the act ating of each pedal mechanism, an electric motor for the fan blower, 'andelectrical connections from 14 each switch to the motor. In testimony whereof'I afiix my signature. JOHN ll-l. WOODARD.- 

